Bee conservation efforts at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo are helping mountain gorilla conservation efforts in Africa, and the public is invited to do its part by buying special jars of "Gee is for Gorilla" honey.

The Gee honey comes directly from beehives at Happy Hollow, and 100 percent of the sales of the $8, 8-ounce jars, will go to help protect the last remaining populations of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Willow Glen beekeeper Steve Demkowski has been teaching an adult beekeeping class at Happy Hollow for the past three years. The year-long class is limited to 10 students and covers everything from obtaining bees to hive building, bee care, preventing swarming and harvesting honey.

Vanessa Rogier, communications and conservation manager for Happy Hollow, was part of Demkowski's first class and has also worked through the Happy Hollow Foundation on fundraising for the Virunga Park rangers since 2006.

The gorillas protected by the rangers are the ones that Dian Fossey worked with and were featured in the film Gorillas in the Mist.

Both Rogier and Demkowski had separately read about a group of women in Rwanda and their Gorilla Honey Project to support the rangers.

They decided to emulate the idea, using the honey harvested in mid-August at Happy Hollow.

When Demkowski's 4-H class in beekeeping at adjacent History San Jose Park heard about the project, students decided to donate all their honey as well.

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When the volunteers finished on Aug. 18, Demkowski estimates they had harvested 800 pounds of honey, packaged it into special containers and attached the Gee is for Gorilla labels.

Heather Lerner, director of the Happy Hollow Foundation, points out the honey sale is in time for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year on Sept. 5 when apples and honey are often served.

Rogier says that when Happy Hollow first began working with the rangers in 2006, "they were poorly supplied and sadly, they hadn't been paid a salary in over nine years. Yet they continued to do their best to defend the Virunga National park, home to the highly endangered mountain gorillas."

Rogier points out more than 140 rangers have been killed by professional poachers and bands of rebel insurgents.

Each year Happy Hollow Foundation hosts an invitational "In the Heart of the Congo" fundraiser, attended primarily by those working in California zoos and aquariums, as well as major donors.

It raises about $15,000 each year, and Rogier says she believes it has donated about $100,000 to the rangers since 2006.

"The beauty of this and the reason we chose to work with the rangers in particular is that there is no middleman," Rogier says.

"All the money we send goes directly to them."

Besides providing salaries, the money has also been used to purchase protective uniforms and boots for use on patrol; improving the water sanitation system at Bukima patrol post in the gorilla sector of the park, which was using a 20-year-old well with filthy water; providing tents and rations for patrols; restocking the pharmacy at the park headquarters serving the rangers and their families; and helping purchase a surveillance plane to spot poachers.

Additionally, Rogier says in 2012, they were asked by the rangers to support the widows of the men who have lost their lives while serving.

"While one might think a ranger's biggest fear is death, what most rangers fear most is that their widows and orphaned children will be abandoned and left destitute in a society that cannot care for them," she says.

Both Demkowski and Rogier see their efforts as being about conservation.

The hives at Happy Hollow help local bees thrive, and the honey they produce will now help protect the gorillas.

Gee is for Gorilla honey goes on sale Aug. 30 and will be available while supplies last at Three Sisters in Willow Glen, 1393 Lincoln Ave. The 4-H volunteers will be there on Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For the week of Aug. 31 through Sept. 7, Three Sisters is donating all proceeds of its own Willow Glen Honey, harvested from local hives by Steve Demkowski, as well.

The Gee honey will also be sold in the Explore & More Store in Happy Hollow Park & Zoo.

Phone orders can also be placed for pick up at Happy Hollow on weekdays by calling 408.794.6404.